Remote MissionA remote jobs platform for all people with skills to do work the matters.http://www.remotemission.com/
4 ways to stay sane and happy as a remote workerWed, 13 Feb 2019 06:39:08 -0800http://www.remotemission.com/blog/4-ways-to-stay-sane-and-happy-as-a-remote-worker
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/4-ways-to-stay-sane-and-happy-as-a-remote-worker<p>Remote workers who travel (aka digital nomads) are a unique breed. Taking what most people agree is one of the most stressful things they do (travel) and make it a lifestyle. In fact, many remote workers make travel their work as well.</p><p>Sometimes it gets to you. Sometimes all you want is to be surrounded by people who speak your language and actually know you.</p><p>A few months ago, I almost quit traveling. It was all getting to me: the temporary friends, the constant barrage of new information, and the isolation of feeling like an outsider.</p><p>While situations differ, this seems to be a feeling that most 'digital nomads' will encounter at least once in their travels. We have a high-stress lifestyle hidden behind a picture-perfect Instagram account and it’s easy to forget to take care of the most important aspect of our lives: our mental health. So here are a few methods to help us all live our best (or least panicked) lives.</p><h3><p>Be kind to yourself</p></h3><p>As a digital nomad with anxiety and depression, I know the downward spiral of self-respect that comes with disappointment. If something goes wrong at work, if you don’t get a positive response from that pitch, if you’ve had some really difficult classes, you start to look at yourself as the problem. You blame yourself for not working hard enough, for overlooking something important, or for just not being good enough. It’s crazy the things our brain tells us when we’re disappointed!</p><p>When you’re feeling down, be kind to yourself. Listen to these thoughts, acknowledge the feelings, but don’t internalize them. Instead, forgive yourself for being impatient or grumpy or “lazy.” Let yourself learn from it, and move forward. Remember that you, like all humans, are flawed. But you’re still worthwhile and capable. Treat yourself with the same kindness and forgiveness that you would expect from your friends and family.</p><p>However if the spiral becomes too much, consider it a prime...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/4-ways-to-stay-sane-and-happy-as-a-remote-worker>Read More</a>The Remote Mission Community SurveyWed, 10 Oct 2018 02:17:21 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-remote-mission-community-survey
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-remote-mission-community-survey<p>The Remote Mission Community is about building a community of people and businesses who are wanting to make a positive difference in some way. Who care about people & planet and who want their job and life to reflect this.</p><p>A little while ago we reached out to our amazing community to find out who they are and hear about why they want more fulfilling remote work.</p><p>Our community is 75% female* and people belong mostly to the millennial generation, with 75% of the community being between 26 and 40 years old. This suggests that our Remote Missioners are strongly influenced by the impact of digital technologies in their lives and in the way that they learn and work. Which also brings with it a new perspective on life and an increase in personal values that has lead to a desire for a new lifestyle centred around freedom and choice.</p><p>Check out the infographic below for more info on our community.</p><h3><p>Wanting more freedom and choice</p></h3><p>Freedom and choice is what a large majority of the community stated they wanted, with 46% of the people saying this was the main reason they wanted to work remotely. This was followed in second place by “the ability to travel” (19%) and “to have more time to do the things I love” (14%).</p><p><strong>But what exactly does this mean? </strong>We asked our community to delve deeper and this is what they said:</p><p>"<em>Specifically in relation to Remote Mission-driven work... it means I am in control of my time and effort - to put in hard work and commitment for a cause I really believe in, and also have the flexibility to enjoy the finer things in life (a gorgeous day, meeting friends, being there for family). To be "free" in my work life, means I don't feel like it's work, it's just a lovely life where I'm adding my skills and passion. To have "choices" in work life, means I can work with clients whose missions I align with.</em>” Abbie Caldas</p><p>"<em>The ability to express my thoughts, feelings and...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-remote-mission-community-survey>Read More</a>How to create compelling answers for a kick ass interviewMon, 20 Aug 2018 05:11:07 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-to-create-compelling-answers-for-a-kick-ass-interview
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-to-create-compelling-answers-for-a-kick-ass-interview<p>Do you struggle to give concise answers to interview questions? Are you unsure how to share your accomplishments during an interview without sounding boastful?</p><p>Do you in an interview list every single reason why you were suitable for the job, even if the points are not relevant to the question. Sounding familiar?</p><p>This is common trap that many candidates fall into, especially when they are feeling particularly nervous.</p><p>During my years in HR I have found the STAR technique to be very useful in helping candidates provide structured and engaging interview answers. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, and forces you to stick to a framework, whilst providing all of the most relevant information in your answer.</p><p>I encourage everyone I coach to practice this technique prior to interview and feedback through individuals I’ve coached say that this technique is invaluable!</p><p><strong>So what is STAR?</strong></p><p>STAR is an acronym for four key concepts. Each concept is a step the job candidate can take to answer a behavioural interview question in a thorough way. The concepts in the acronym include:</p><p><em>Situation: </em>Describe the context within which you performed a job or faced a challenge at work. For example, perhaps you were working on a group project, or you had a conflict with a coworker. This situation can be from a work experience, a volunteer position, or any other relevant event. Be as specific as possible.</p><p><em>Task:</em> Next, describe your responsibility in that situation. Perhaps you had to help your group complete a project under a tight deadline, resolve a conflict with a colleague, or hit a sales target.</p><p><em>Action: </em>You then describe how you completed the task or endeavoured to meet the challenge. Focus on what you did, rather than what your team, boss, or colleague did. (Tip: Instead of saying "We did xyx," say "I did xyz.")</p><p><em>Result: </em>Finally, explain the outcomes or...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-to-create-compelling-answers-for-a-kick-ass-interview>Read More</a>Why small businesses would benefit from remote workTue, 31 Jul 2018 06:05:57 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/why-small-businesses-would-benefit-from-remote-work
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/why-small-businesses-would-benefit-from-remote-work<p>The world of digital is well and truly here to stay, in fact it is growing at a crazy rapid pace. This also means that the world of work and growing a business is changing.</p><p>Working remotely, whether from home or a co-working space, full time or once a week, is no longer a disadvantage.</p><p>New technologies allow workers and entrepreneurs to have meetings with team members from just about anywhere with an internet connection, as well as access work files via laptops or smartphones through cloud storage.</p><p>However, though there are plenty of benefits of hiring remote workers only a small percentage of vacancies are advertised as flexible or remote.</p><p>On the flip side, the trend is becoming increasingly popular in small businesses and in the NGO and social sectors.</p><p>Essentially small businesses in particular are not taking up permanent office spaces, instead choosing to run their business and manage their team remotely.</p><p>So, what are the key benefits to remote work you ask?</p><h3><p>Opening up the playing field</p></h3><p>The biggest benefit to businesses is that remote work and flexible practices will help recruit and retain talented staff. Offering remote work widens the talent pool and allows for a truly global workforce. Flexible practices also increase commitment and loyalty of staff members. It also allows small businesses in particular to contract those who are self-employed as a gateway for experienced people to get back into the workforce.</p><h3><p>Diversity & Inclusion</p></h3><p>Rather than having to chose from just the local applicants, remote work allows businesses to be more flexible in their hiring process. Giving the opportunity to hire diverse talent from not only different backgrounds, but also different countries. It also means a higher chance of inclusivity; applicants with disabilities or who face difficulty with a work commute have a chance at applying for work they are trained in and are passionate about. Which...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/why-small-businesses-would-benefit-from-remote-work>Read More</a>How I used fear to start working remotely & move forwardsFri, 27 Jul 2018 03:36:40 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-i-used-fear-to-start-working-remotely-move-forwards
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-i-used-fear-to-start-working-remotely-move-forwards<p>Fear is a natural part of being a human and it is easy to let it run our lives. But when we hand over the reins to fear in order to stay “safe” or “comfortable” we often (by means or accident) prevent ourselves from great opportunities and amazing experiences. While fear is a huge component to every human life and a base emotion to a lot of what we can experience, like anger, there are ways to work past it to achieve what you truly desire.</p><p><b>Understanding A Fear Based Reaction</b></p><p>Part of working past and conquering fear is to meet it head on. To begin to do that it is important to understand where the emotion comes from, especially related to when we attempt to go after something new. There is an inherent part of us as humans that feels the need to stay safe. This is passed down through evolution from a time when humans were in danger consistently. This instinct is no longer necessary in the lifestyles we lead today.</p><p> </p><p>Despite not needing as much protection as we did in the past, our survival instinct has evolved to make us want to stay with what we know well, with what makes us feel safe, and comfortable. This can happen and hinder us in all areas of our lives. At times we stay in relationships we know aren’t health because it’s what’s comfortable. We can fear moving or change even if we know where we are at in our lives no longer serves us. And we especially fear going outside our comfort zones.</p><p><b>My Personal Struggle With Fear</b></p><p>I use to be a highly anxious person, always staying in my shell never trying new things.</p><p>In the past I was always someone who dreamt big but believed my dreams were unattainable. It was through truly getting to know myself, practicing self love, and leaving my comfort zone consistently that I realized that I was completely capable of handling whatever came my way.</p><p>This self-confidence made it easier and easier to jump into the unknown and trying new things. It helped shift my...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-i-used-fear-to-start-working-remotely-move-forwards>Read More</a>Stuck in a job you hate? 8 simple things you can do right now to helpMon, 23 Jul 2018 04:00:21 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/stuck-in-a-job-you-hate-8-simple-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-help
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/stuck-in-a-job-you-hate-8-simple-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-help<p>We’ve all woken up at some point and wished we didn’t have to go into the office. But have you ever had that feeling every day?</p><p>You got into this work because you care about the mission and now it’s draining all the care you have out of you. So what do you do? Wouldn’t it be great to just quit! Sadly, most people can’t do that, so how do you overcome this feeling until you can find a new job, one you love and one where you can get excited again?</p><p>Aside from winning the lottery and never returning to that dreaded place, here are some concrete things you can do right now to help you cope.</p><ol><li><p>Make finding a new job, your new part time job. I’ve been there. You use all your energy just getting through the day,you get home exhausted and want nothing more than to veg out for the rest of the evening. But that’s not going to get you out of your current situation. Take time each evening, even it’s only 30 minutes to find a new role. Make lots of lists--what qualities do you want in your dream job, what qualities do you want to avoid, what are your strongest skills, what skills do you need to work on to get that dream job? Update your resume and use those lists to start searching and applying for jobs that meet your criteria. Need more advice on how to get started, check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/remotemission">Remote Mission Community</a> on Facebook for a super supportive network of people.</p></li><li><p>Change your routine. I used to get up at the last minute, eat a rushed breakfast and listen to the news while fighting traffic to get into a job I hated. Mornings were all about just getting to the job I didn’t want to be at in the first place and they were a battle. So I made some changes. I decided to get up a little earlier and take some time to read my book or go for a walk--just focus on me and not the job. I then realized listening to the news, in the bleak state we are in right now, made me feel even worse so I...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/stuck-in-a-job-you-hate-8-simple-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-help>Read More</a>3 Ways to Improve Your Hiring Process for Remote WorkersFri, 06 Jul 2018 08:08:17 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/3-ways-to-improve-your-hiring-process-for-remote-workers
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/3-ways-to-improve-your-hiring-process-for-remote-workers<p>Going through the hiring process for a new employee is stressful for everyone involved. The recruiter is tasked with finding the ideal employee who has a unique combination of skills, experience, and organisational alignment for the role. Hiring remote workers adds another level of difficulty because the candidate has to possess a whole other skill-set. The pressure is on to make the best decision and not risk wasting valuable time and company resources on a new hire that doesn’t work out.</p><p>Remote job seekers on the other hand face a different kind of stress. They spend hours pouring over job postings to try and find that perfect opportunity. Once it’s been discovered they slave over writing a cover letter and resume that will perfectly represent who they are on two 8.5 x11 sheets of paper. And the arduous process doesn’t end when the application is submitted. There’s still the waiting to hear from the company, the agonizing decision of when to follow up (A week? 10 business days? Is the position still even open?!), and the indeterminate interview process for those lucky enough to get that far. The horror!!</p><p>But it doesn’t have to be this way. We spoke to job seekers in the Remote Mission community and researched job postings to come up with 3 tips that companies can implement to improve their hiring process, especially for remote workers. By following these tips you will be more likely to attract quality applicants and find your ideal candidate.</p><p><b>1. Judge Candidates by Skills/Personality Traits Instead of Experience</b></p><p>This is a HUGE pain point for remote job seekers and one that may actually be detrimental to your company. Very often there is so much emphasis placed on years of experience or formal education and not enough put on whether the person could be the best one for the job. In this ever-evolving world we are living in, someone with years of experience may not be as up to date on current industry trends or the technological...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/3-ways-to-improve-your-hiring-process-for-remote-workers>Read More</a>The benefits of working from home for digital nomadsFri, 06 Jul 2018 08:01:33 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-benefits-of-working-from-home-for-digital-nomads
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-benefits-of-working-from-home-for-digital-nomads<p>Do you want to be able to to plan your job around your life instead of your life around your job?</p><p>Do you love to travel, but also love working from your own environment- at home?</p><p>Ever wondered why you might want to work remotely?</p><p>We asked our community what they felt the benefits of working from home were and got more than the traditional answers.</p><p><b>DIFFERENT TIME ZONES = MORE “YOU” TIME </b></p><p>Working for a business across the world can be more convenient than you’d think. If you’re in different time zones, you can have your mornings or evenings all to yourself and create the lifestyle you want.</p><p>Our community member Aliz Koletttis lives in Greece but has a job located in NYC, “so I can run all my errands, go to the gym with my husband, and go out to lunch. I basically have five or six hours to myself in the morning before I start working to be in sync with the time zone back in America. To me, that is a very huge benefit.”</p><p>It’s also more time to serve your community, volunteer, or just stimulate your local economy!</p><p style="text-align: center; font-size: 80%;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/zNRITe8NPqY?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Kevin Bhagat</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></p><p>"Benefit today- didn't have to go out in the rain” - Nisha Kotecha</p><p>You know the feeling of driving through a storm, hardly able to see the road and cars in front of you, then running in the rain and into the office wet, cold, and anxious- this makes getting to work straight away difficult. Working from home not only prevents you from getting wet or sick, but by avoiding this entire scenario your productivity level will be as striking as a lightning storm.You will be flooded with results. Your mind won’t be clouded.</p><p>...Okay, I’ll stop.</p><p>There’s also a communal benefit- it protects...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-benefits-of-working-from-home-for-digital-nomads>Read More</a>How to easily reduce our plastic consumption and why we should careFri, 08 Jun 2018 01:35:17 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-to-easily-reduce-our-plastic-consumption-and-why-we-should-care
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-to-easily-reduce-our-plastic-consumption-and-why-we-should-care<p>While we strive to be more conscious of how our actions impact the environment, sometimes it takes a globally recognised day to draw extra attention to an issue. This year, the theme for World Environment Day and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.worldoceansday.org/">World Oceans Day</a> is “Beat Plastic Pollution.”</p><p>You may have seen the viral videos of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrBGIfeABpg">plastic river in Guatemala</a> or the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArYLGNe-jCA">scuba diver in Bali </a>surrounded by more bottles than fish. If not, then check them out.</p><p>What about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw">turtle getting a straw pulled out its nose</a> or the dissected <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF3Q7_80ACM">whale with almost 100 plastic bags in its stomach</a>?</p><p>These alarming realities are just part of the statistic that 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean each year.</p><p>And no, it’s not just ocean animals that suffer: 90% of bottled water is found to contain plastic particles.</p><p>Sadly, the UN projects that plastic production will nearly double in the next 10 - 15 years.</p><p style="font-size: 100%;"><strong>Plastic pollution is a defining environmental challenge for our time.</strong></p><h3><p style="font-size: 100%;">So what can we do about it?</p></h3><p>With such obvious negative impacts on the environment and our own health, we must move beyond simply awareness-raising and into action. We need to completely rethink the way plastic shows up in our lives.</p><p>The exciting message which follows the scary reality is that a global momentum is growing: innovators, activists and leaders are inspired to do more than just clean up and recycle existing plastics. We can address the problem at its source.</p><p style="font-size: 100%;"><b>All we need to do is focus our action upstream and change...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/how-to-easily-reduce-our-plastic-consumption-and-why-we-should-care>Read More</a>The 10 must read books you need in your life timeMon, 04 Jun 2018 05:45:48 -0700http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-10-must-read-books-you-need-in-your-life-time
http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-10-must-read-books-you-need-in-your-life-time<p>We’ve all seen and heard it before : the 10 books you have to read before you die, the 10 books that would take you somewhere you want to go, the 10 books that would teach you what you desperately need to know. The internet it’s flooded with these types of blogs and lists. So I won’t pretend to give you anything like that, even though I am going to be writing a list.</p><p>For me books are more than lists that you need to read, they are the stories that made me think, the stories that made me cry, the stories that have shaped who I am. Sometimes they are an essay that shines a light on a new perspective. Sometimes they are such a good novel that it has stayed with me for years. Sometimes they’ve made me realise what’s truly important in life.</p><p>I believe every book has a moment and a person. Not every book out there is for you and there are times in life when you would resonate more with a specific book than another. There are windows of time and when that window closes you may remember a book fondly , but it won’t ignite the same spark inside of you. Then there are books that are timeless and will always show you or teach you something different, no matter how many times you read them. There are books just for fun, there are books just to learn a new topic. But for me, the most important books are the ones that show you a bit about this thing we call life. They are the ones that have given me purpose and shown me that perhaps, this is the reason we are alive.</p><p>So, this is my list, from one book lover to another. I hope they come to you at the right time.</p><ul><li><p><b>The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna</b></p></li></ul><p>There is just something about this book that gets to me every time I read it. If you ever wonder if you are in fact doing something that is true to you, or if you are tired of doing what you are doing, but found yourself terrified about change, then give it a chance. It is impossible to read this book and not wonder...<a href=http://www.remotemission.com/blog/the-10-must-read-books-you-need-in-your-life-time>Read More</a>